Close encounters with elk at Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is often called "the top of the world for everybody." The Trail Ridge Road that runs through it is the highest major highway in North America.

On a recent visit to the Colorado park, I wasn't sure if we'd be close enough to see any wildlife along the way. I was content with just bringing my point-and-shoot camera for the day. But after some prodding by my partner Linda, I was persuaded to bring my Nikon D4s, along with a 300mm telephoto lens.

We took off on a scenic drive. When we arrived at Medicine Bow Curve, a few miles north of where tourists were struck by lightning a few days earlier, the magic happened. There they were: a small herd of elk grazing on the hill.
We joined tourists flocking to the area with phones and cameras, snapping photos for about 20 minutes as the elk walked down the hill, past a designated path.

When the herd decided to head back up the hill, some of the onlookers followed, leaving the path to walk on the fragile tundra grass, which is forbidden. They were later chased off the grass by park rangers.

The elk went on their way, and so did we, happy to bring home images of our brief encounter on a Rocky Mountain hillside.